Politics and the History of Cuba

After it became officially globally acknowledged that Cuba was in fact a communist state and was being led through a dictatorship run by Castro, it did not take long before powerful enemies and essential allies were formed. The act of seizing all foreign land with none or very little compensation was received with great hostility amongst those who lost in their property through this process, and probably the reaction that had the biggest impact on Cuba’s economy was that of the US. Castro’s communistic policies did not of course help calm this resentment and also took part in leading to the establishment of trade embargos with Cuba from the US. This meant that Cuba would now lose a very valuable buyer of their precious sugar, [5] but they did however gain another one, a powerful nation that shared quite similar Marxist ideals and were quick to form an alliance with the Cubans, the USSR.

economic growth comes from agriculture and exports to and from Europe. Since America has had an embargo on Cuba since 1962 neither countries trade with each other because of many disagreements about governing techniques and Fidel's unwillingness to comply with U.S. instructions. Cuba’s long history and culture has contributed to many economic and social growth through out the world, but Cuba is still struggling to try to stable their economy.

To begin, it is important to know about the history of Cuba to fully comprehend how things came to be as they are today. Since the Conquest and Colonization Era (1492-1898), many of the prominent European countries and the powerful neighbor to the north of Cuba, the United States of America, have attempted to take control of the land. It first began with the Spanish conquistadors, specifically Diego Velázquez, who was the first to explore and settle the land. Up until the end of the 19th century, the Spanish monarch was the authoritative figure overseeing the land and

In the 1950’s, tourists visited the island of Cuba for its warm beaches, culture and Spanish colonial architecture. But underneath the surface, was a revolution ready to burst through the Cuban people they just needed the right person to lead them. Cuba at this time was run by a Political Dictator named Fulgencio Batista.

Cuba was one of the territories that United States imperialized. The US was a heavy consumer of the sugar produced in Cuba but didn’t meet the sugar industry demands. The international market collapsed, and the US used this opportunity to purchase the sugar mills in Cuba “Cuban sugar mills into bankruptcy … sensing an opportunity, investors from the United States

During the Cold War, a new leader of Cuba rose to the top. Fidel Castro threw Barista out of power and began to lead the Cuban people with flying colors. Little did these citizens know, was he was leading them into bad relations with his many Soviet ties. But before Cuba was touched upon by Castro, the U.S. had gained the territory from Spain in 1898, in the end of the Spanish-American War. Gaining Cuba as a territory to the U.S., it was then in charge of the country's affairs and leased its naval base at Guantanamo Bay. Cuba was also one of the largest sugar producers in the century. The U.S. saw the sugar business was essential for trade profit. Between Cuba's agriculture, while growing tobacco Cuba could partner with southern U.S. to harvest and export many

Cuba is a nation that formed from a history of colonial and imperial domination. Formal colonial status under Spain ended during the invasion by the United States in 1898, when military and corporate interests made the island a de facto colony of the United States. However, Cuba and the United States have had a long history of both political and military ties; both good and bad. Nevertheless, these ties have played a vital role in the current relationship the United States maintains with Cuba. In the recent years, both countries have continued to work toward a better diplomatic relationship; possibly enhancing the overall success of both Cuba and the United States.

The United States is known for being one of the greatest and strongest countries in the world looking at past events and in this day and age. What might strike some people as shocking is that the U.S. would not be as strong without close ties with other countries or allies. Examples would be France, England, and Canada, plus many more. What people don’t talk about is the U.S.’s rivals or countries that the U.S. has had trouble with in the past leading up to now. One of the most renowned countries is only ninety miles away from the southern tip of Florida and that is Cuba. Cuba is known for the fantastic beaches, some of the most well-known baseball players around, and, of course, Cuban cigars and rum. But, the past with Cuba is not as bright as the U.S. wants it to be because of historical events such as the embargo, the Bay of Pigs, and the Cuban missile crisis during World War II that caused the two countries to separate as allies and close tied nations. Over the past year the U.S. and Cuba have been trying to put the past behind them and have diplomatic and cultural relations once again.

Cuba and the Affects of the Embargo The island nation of Cuba, located just ninety miles off the coast of Florida, is home to 11 million people and has one of the few remaining communist regimes in the world. Cuba’s leader, Fidel Castro, came to power in 1959 and immediately instituted a communist program of sweeping economic and social changes. Castro allied his government with the Soviet Union and seized and nationalized billions of dollars of American property. U.S. relations with Cuba have been strained ever since. A trade embargo against Cuba that was imposed in 1960 is still in place today. Despite severe economic suffering and increasing isolation from the world community, Castro remains committed to communism. (Close Up

     It was after Castro took power that the United States changed its way in which it dealt with Cuba dramatically. The United States decided it would

In October 1962, the world stood on the brink of nuclear war for 14 days. During the Cold War, tensions heightened after the Soviet Union had found to place secret nuclear weapons on the Caribbean island nation of Cuba. The Kennedy government demanded a withdrawal which is said to be not only the most dangerous confrontation of entirety of the Cold War but also the earth's history.

Cuba is the largest island in Caribbean and known as one of the communist states in the world (Country Profile: Cuba, 2014). As of August 2016, the total population accounts to 11.3 million (Worldometers, 2016). Cuba’s life expectancy is 78 years, the longest life expectancy in America. The country was led by Fidel Castro for almost 50 years and his government established a one-party state, redistributed land, nationalized most of the economy, provided free education and health care and executed thousands of opponents (Country Profile: Cuba, 2014).

    Living conditions in Cuba were very poor in the years preceding the revolution. Though Cuba had one of the highest incomes per capita in Central America, most of this money was controlled by the very upper class, with the average farmer making next to nothing. In addition, American investors owned approximately 75 percent of the arable land in the country, and controlled about 90 percent of the country’s essential services. This resulted in a very desperate situation for many people. To further the problem, the government had been run for many years by corrupt presidents, who took very little interest in the welfare of the populace. Fulgencio Batista, the last of this line, ruled his

Despite doubts about Castro's communist political ideology, the United States recognized his government. However, as Castro's command increased trade with the Soviet Union, nationalized U.S.- owned properties, and hiked taxes on American imports, the United States responded with economic retaliation. After slashing Cuban sugar imports, imposing a ban on nearly all exports to Cuba, and placing a full economic embargo that included strict travel

The book, Reminiscences of the Cuban Revolution by Ernesto Che Guevara is a firsthand account of the Cuban insurgency in the Sierra Maestra. Guevara’s recollections about the revolution provide important information about the challenges the rebels faced when they first landed in Cuba as well as the diverse roles the peasantry played during the insurgency. Also, Che illustrates why the Cuban army was unable to defeat the rebels and the advantages and limitations of waging guerrilla warfare in the Sierra Maestra.